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Urban Meyer's tenure with the Jacksonville Jaguars has been unsteady from the off. When he signed, controversy erupted almost immediately. The former Ohio State head coach retired in 2018 to spend more time with his family, but on January 14 this year, the 56-year-old was handed the keys to the Jaguars franchise.
Urban Meyer made headlines earlier in the offseason when he said vaccination status played a role on cut day. He also didn't make any transactions for an offensive lineman in the offseason, considering the Jaguars' troubles on that end. Confidence in Meyer took a further hit when the Jaguars were embarrassed by the Houston Texans in Week 1.
Urban Meyer's status for 2022 far from settled
In other news, head coach Clay Helton was fired from USC on Tuesday. USC is one of the most prestigious colleges in America. The minute the vacancy came to the fore, Eric Bieniemy and Urban Meyer were mentioned as potential candidates to fill the role. Meyer reiterated on Wednesday that he's committed to staying in Jacksonville.
Urban Meyer's name was mentioned because he has a .854 winning percentage in 17 years as a college head coach. He's synonymous with college football. But since joining the Jaguars, Meyer has rubbed coaches and players the wrong way.
Rumors indicate Meyer isn't connecting with his team
A recent report revealed that Meyer has people looking over their shoulders. Even in pre-season, he was emotional and frustrated. Nobody, including his staff, has been safe from his ire.
Meyer never had a losing record in college. In the NFL, though, he'll have to get used to losses being part of the experience. If he fails to do so, he risks alienating his players.
Meyer's contract details were never made public by the media. If the contract is anything like the 10-year contract Jon Gruden signed, it may be hard to get out of. Guaranteed money can be a factor in how much leeway Meyer gets. But if the contract is for a shorter duration, they could get out of it after this year if that suits both parties.
How does Meyer silence the doubters?
For Urban Meyer to solidify his future, he needs to win games. The Jaguars were 1-15 last year and have made the playoffs just once since 2008. Meyer was brought in to change those numbers. The 37-21 loss to the Texans wasn't a good start. He also needs to show he's committed to the ups and downs of a rebuild.
The offensive line had a poor performance Sunday. They're the key to Trevor Lawrence having a healthy and promising rookie season. The defense gave up 37 points against the Texans which puts a ton of pressure on Lawrence. It's only one game, but Urban Meyer has a lot of work to do this season.
